The UNEP Environmental Assessment of Ogoniland

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) released its Environmental Assessment of Ogoniland in August 2011. The report was commissioned by and delivered to the Federal Government of Nigeria. It makes recommendations to the government, the oil and gas industry and communities to begin a comprehensive cleanup of Ogoniland, restore polluted environments and put an end to all forms of ongoing oil contamination in the region.

Restoring Ogoniland

UNEP assessed that the environmental restoration of Ogoniland could take many years to achieve even with coordinated efforts on the part of government agencies at all levels, industry operators and communities. UNEP also presented its recommendations as a major opportunity to bring new investment, employment opportunities and a culture of cooperation to Ogoniland in addition to driving improvements in the environmental and health situation on the ground.

Multi-stakeholder response

The majority of UNEP’s recommendations require multi-stakeholder efforts coordinated by the Federal Government. The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) is one of the stakeholders addressed in the UNEP report, although the joint venture it operates has not produced oil or gas in Ogoniland since 1993. SPDC has made progress in addressing all of the recommendations directed to it in the UNEP report.

In July 2014 the Minister of Petroleum recommended the convening of a multi-stakeholder workshop, under the leadership of the Federal Government of Nigeria, to inject fresh urgency into implementation of the UNEP report and deliver a comprehensive remediation programme for Ogoniland. SPDC, as operator of the SPDC Joint Venture, supports this initiative.

Crude oil theft

Crude oil theft, sabotage and illegal refining are the main sources of pollution in the Niger Delta today and accounted for 92% of oil volume spilled from SPDC facilities in 2009-13. Incidents of oil theft and willful damage continue to take place along the Trans-Niger Pipeline in Ogoniland, with severe impacts on the environment.

The UNEP report calls for a coordinated effort between government, oil and gas companies and communities to bring an end to theft and illegal refining and urges communities to take a proactive stand against individuals and groups engaged in these activities.

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SPDC and Ogoniland

The UNEP report covers oil spills in Ogoniland, an area covering about 1% of the Niger Delta. In 1993 SPDC shut down all production in Ogoniland due to threats and violence against our staff and facilities.

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